With the changes to when Ignition effects can be activated, I figured I would do a post on each type of monster effect and when they can be activated.

Ignition Effects:  These effects can only be used during your turn during an open game state in Main Phase 1 or 2.  A list of monsters with Ignition Effects is below.  Please note, your opponent will be able to respond to the summon of these monster's BEFORE they can activate their effects.

Dark Armed Dragon
Judgment Dragon (destruction effect)
Card Trooper (mill effect)
Inzektor Monsters (the effect to equip an Inzektor from hand or grave)
Rescue Rabbit
Black Luster Soldier-Envoy of the Beginning (banish effect)
Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon
Number 17: Leviathan Dragon
Leviair the Sea Dragon
Wind-Up Carrier Zenmaity (summon effect)
Wind-Up Arsenal Zenmaioh
Adreus, Keeper of Armageddon
Wind-Up Hunter
Wind-Up Shark (effect to change levels)
Wind-Up Rat
Lyla, Lightsworn Sorceress (destruction effect)
Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner (destruction effect)
Scrap Dragon
Black Rose Dragon (effect to change an opposing monsters battle position)
Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier
Lonefire Blossom
Spore
Glow-Up Bulb
Blackwing-Gale the Whirlwind
Blackwing-Sirocco the Dawn
Blackwing-Vayu the Emblem of Honor
Test Tiger
Number 20: Giga-Brilliant
Number C39: Utopia Ray
CardCar D
Dark Grepher
Dark End Dragon
XX-Saber Faultroll
Infernity Necromancer (special summon effect)
Infernity Beetle
The Agent of Creation Venus
Master Hyperion

Trigger Effects:  These effects are triggered by something happening, ex. being summoned, destroyed and sent to the graveyard, discarded by a card effect, another card being summoned etc.  If your opponent responds to the summon to destroy the monster, these monster's will still get their effects.  If the summon is negated and the monster's effect is triggered by a summon, then that monster's effect will not activate.  List of monster's with trigger effects is below

Elemental Hero Stratos
Tour Guide from the Underworld
Sangan
Mystic Tomato
Gladiator Beast tagging
Lightsworn Mill
Inzektor Centipede (effect to search when it loses an equip)
Inzektor Dragonfly (effect to special summon when it loses an equip)
T.G. Hyper Librarian
Wind-Up Zenmaines (effect to destroy a card)
T.G. Monsters
XX-Saber Darksoul
XX-Saber Emmersblade
XX -Saber Hyunlei
X-Saber Airbellum
Spirit Reaper (discard effect)
Marshmallon (damage effect)
Blackwing-Shura the Blue Flame
All Monarch's
Elemental Hero The Shining
Elemental Hero Absolute Zero
Elemental Hero Nova Master
Wind-Up Magician
Wind-Up Shark (effect so special summon itself from hand)
T.G. Wonder Magician
Number 39: Utopia
Blackwing-Blizzard the Far North
Infernity Archfiend
Arcanite Magician (effect to gain spell counters)
Gladiator Beast Gyzarus
The Agent of Mystery-Earth
Gorz, the Emissary of Darkness
Tragoedia
Battle Fader
Black Rose Dragon (destruction effect)
All Dark World effects

Quick Effects:  These effects are either A) Monster effects that negation activations/effects of other cards, or B) Cards that say that they can be activated during your opponents turn.  Quick effects are spell speed 2 and therefor can be used in response to summons.  List of monsters with Quick Effects are as follows. 

Maxx "C"
Effect Veiler
Skull Meister
Thunder King Rai-Oh (effect to negate a summon)
Gladiator Beast Heraklinos
Stardust Dragon
Wind-Up Rabbit
Evolzar Laggia
Evolzar Dolkka
Legendary Six Samurai Shi-En
Herald of Orange Light
D.D. Crow
Light and Darkness Dragon
Strike Ninja


Continuous Effects:  These effects do not activate.  They are just applied while the monster is on the field.  They cannot be negated by Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror, Light-Imprisoning Mirror, Divine Wrath, Evolzar Dolkka, Herald of Orange Light. etc.  List of such monsters below

Beast King Barbaros
Spirit Reaper (effect to not be destroyed by battle)
Gellenduo
Marshmallon (effect to not be destroyed by battle)
Arcana Force 0-The Fool
Tragoedia (effect determining it's attack power)
Machina Fortress
Blackwing Armor Master (effect to not be destroyed by battle)
All monsters with Piercing
Aurkus, Lightsworn Druid


I hope this helps people.  Any specific monsters you have questions about please comment below and I will be glad to answer.

Ok since I'm bored I'm going to post a tournament report I wrote for the first ever Columbus Regional I went to.  Date was 10/23/2010.  The latest set released was Duelist Revolution and since the ban list actually did what it was supposed to do, we didn't have any overpowered decks.  Light Hero Beat won the most recent YCS however I didn't have much success with it.  I noticed many decks such as Blackwings, X-Sabers, and Hero Beat where all running large amounts of back row since this was the first Format with Heavy Storm banned so I chose a deck that went the opposite direction.  Since Book of Moon was at 3, a deck maining 3 Royal Decree would still have enough defense while shutting down a large portion of other decks.  With that in mind I chose to build Pete Navarro's Volcanic Quickdraw deck with one or two minor changes.  Notes on how each card did will be next to each card.

Monsters
1x Tytannial, Princess of Camellias:  Pretty much the best monster during the regional.  When backed up by Royal Decree and with plenty of Tokens to tribute for her effect, players had a very difficult time dealing with her.  I also didn't draw her that often which was a huge plus.
1x Gorz, the Emissary of Darkness:  I added this in last minute because I was afraid of X-Sabers but I only played 1 and it didn't have Darksouls or Emmersblades.  If anything this helped me in not drawing Tytannial so that alone honestly made it worth it
2x Caius, the Shadow Monarch:  Huge help against Blackwings.  Because Dandylion was at 2 and you can easily generate extra tokens, summoning him was not a problem. 
3x Debris Dragon:  The primary play with Debris Dragon was to go into Scrap Dragon.  Rarely went Black Rose Dragon and I rarely brought out Stardust Dragon.
2x Quickdraw Synchron:  I pretty much used this in combo with Volcanic Shell to make Drill Warrior.  However I sided out that engine quite a bit to add more cards like Snowman Eater and Spirit Reaper just to give myself more consistency.
2x Lonefire Blossom:  Consistent way to bring out Tytannial.  Pretty much it's only use in this version of Plants
2x Dandylion:  Supplied a steady stream of Tokens for Tytannial to use as well as being a very good target for Debris Dragon
1x Sangan:  Searched everything besides Caius, Gorz, and Tytannial
1x Card Trooper:  Could crash Thunder Kings and helped get my mill going.  Enough said
3x Volcanic Shell:  See Quickdraw.  Also used it as a discard cost for Drill Warrior and Raigeki Break
2x Effect Veiler:  Because I ran Royal Decree this card was needed to give myself some form of protection.  Did it's job perfectly
3x Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter:  Decree locked down opponent's traps so I mostly used Ryko to destroy opposing Monsters.  The Mill was a nice added bonus
1x Spore:  Honestly didn't use this much but when I did use it, it was game winning.

Magic
3x Book of Moon:  Main form of protection since I use Royal Decree
1x Charge of the Light Brigade:  Allowed me to see my Rykos very early and also milled and fueled POA
1x Foolish Burial:  Dump Dandylion
1x Enemy Controller:  Another form of protection and since I should have extra tokens I can take opposing monsters.
1x Dark Hole:  Staple
1x Monster Reborn:  Staple
1x Pot of Duality:  Only played it once.  Theory behind it was to try and consistently get Royal Decree but I didn't need it.
3x Pot of Avarice:  So much milling, you need it to be able to reuse all of your monsters so you don't run out of steam
1x Cold Wave:  Staple

Trap
1x Raigeki Break:  Generic monster removal that takes advantage of all the cards I can discard
3x Royal Decree:  As I said before, shut down 1/3 of my opponent's deck.  Very few players main decked Mystical Space Typhoon so usually if Decree hit the field, it stayed.

Extra:  I'm very glad I used 2 Scrap Dragon.  He was by far my most used Synchro.  I kind of wish I had used Red Dragon Archfiend for the Plant Mirror match and just had the 1 Chimeratech sided but hindsight is 20/20.  Turbo and Nitro where rarely brought out but each had a specific purpose so they had to stay in. 
1x Armory Arm
1x Catastor
1x Brionac
2x Drill Warrior
1x Iron Chain Dragon
1x Turbo Warrior
2x Black Rose Dragon
1x Nitro Warrior
1x Stardust Dragon
1x Junk Destroyer
2x Scrap Dragon
1x Chimeratech Fortress Dragon



Side
2x Cyber Dragon:  Sided in many times in place of QD and Volcanic Shell.  Since players will typically side out Bottomless it became more effective
2x Doomcaliber Knight:  Sided in a few times.  Better than T-King in that format
2x Snowman Eater:  Hero's where popular and Snowman kills Hero's
1x Spirit Reaper:  Nice wall against Saber's and it's a Debris Target
2x Mystical Space Typhoon:  Really only for Infernity's but I didn't play any
1x My Body as a Shield:  Protection from cards such as Icarus Attack and Gyzarus that doesn't get hit by Decree
2x Chain Disappearance:  X-Sabers, Mirror Match, Frogs.  Very good card for each of those matchups
2x Solemn Warning:  Mainly for Gladiator Beasts but also used it against VayuSworn
1x Chimeratech Fortress Dragon:  Wish I had just had 1 copy in the side and not one in the extra but oh well.


Results (O=game win, X=game loss)
Round 1: X-Sabers, OO
Round 2: Hero Beat, OO
Round 3: SalvoDAD, OO
Round 4: Blackwings, OXO
Round 5: Hero Beat, OO
Round 6: Gladiator Beasts, XOX
Round 7: VayuSworn, OXX
Round 8: Volcanic Quickdraw Plants, OXO
Round 9: Machina Geartown, OO


Final placement 11th out of 455

Something that many people have been complaining about is the current prices of the current top tier decks (mainly Dino Rabbit and Wind-Ups) on the secondary market.  In this post I'm going to compare the current decks to Tengu Plants from last format and Tele DAD.  I'd also compare it to DAD Return but I can't find accurate card prices for back then.  Commons/Rares will be defaulted to $.50 unless they where hard to get ones such as Royal Oppression, Lonefire Blossom, Phoenix Wing Wind Blast, etc.

TeleDAD (decklist taken from YCS Houston 2009)

Monsters:
2x Dark Armed Dragon: $200.00
1x Caius the Shadow Monarch: $5.00
1x Elemental Hero Stratos: $6.00
1x Dark Grepher: $7.00
1x Breaker the Magical Warrior: $.50
2x Destiny Hero-Diamond Dude: $.50
1x Mystic Tomato: $.50
2x Krebons $.50
1x Sangan $.50
3x Destiny Hero-Malicious: $30.00
1x Necro Gardna: $8.00
1x Plaguespreader Zombie $40.00
1x Spirit Reaper $.50
Total:  $560

Spells:
3x Allure of Darkness: $35.00
1x Brain Control $.50
3x Destiny Draw $40.00
1x Emergency Teleport $30.00
1x Heavy Storm $.50
1x Monster Reborn $.50
1x Mystical Space Typhoon $.50
2x Reinforcement of the Army $.50
Total: $258

Traps:
1x Crush Card Virus: $250
2x Phoenix Wing Wind Blast: $8.00
2x Royal Oppression: $5.00
3x Solemn Judgment: $40.00
1x Trap Dustshoot: $.50
Total: $396.50

Extra Deck
1x Black Rose Dragon: $8.00
2x Colossal Fighter: $2.00
2x Goyo Guardian: $20.00
1x Magical Android: $5.00
1x Psychic Lifetrancer: $.50
2x Red Dragon Archfiend: $4.00
3x Stardust Dragon: $10.00
3x Thought Ruler Archfiend: $10.00
Total: $125.50

Side Deck
1x Compulsory Evacuation Device: $.50
2x Legendary Jujitsu Master $2.00
3x Light-Imprisoning Mirror $.50
1x Lightning Vortex $.50
1x Mirror Force $30.00
1x Mobius the Frost Monarch $.50
1x Raiza the Storm Monarch $20.00
1x Royal Decree $10.00
1x Snipe Hunter $.50
1x Threatening Roar: $.50
1x Thunder King Rai-Oh: $10.00
1x Torrential Tribute $.50
Total: $78.50

Total for the entire deck: $1,293.00

That's assuming you went lowest rarity on each card.  You could have gone holo Stratos, Diamond Dudes, Sangan, Spirit Reaper, Phoenix Wing Wind Blasts, Brain Control, Heavy Storm, Monster Reborn, Mystical Space Typhoon, Trap Dustshoot, Mobius, Lightning Vortex, Legendary Jujitsu Master, Mobius, Snipe Hunter, THreatening Roar, and Torrential Tribute increasing the price even more, especially if you went CP for certain cards. 

If you couldn't tell from previous posts, I'm big on Inzektors right now.  It's kind of weird because I prefer decks like Plant Synchro, Synchro Cat, and Gladiator Beasts.  Decks that have a variety of plays that they can do while Inzektors tend to focus on their 2 loops.  However instead of doing what everyone else was doing, I've decided to experiment into other ways to run the deck and try to see how they work so in this entry I'll be going into possible main/side options of cards that you currently won't find in a "standard" Inzektor Deck.

http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Inzektor_Hopper
Inzektor Hopper
Dark, Insect, Level 4, 1700/1400
Once per turn: You can equip 1 "Inzektor" monster from your hand or Graveyard to this card. While this card is equipped to a monster, that monster's Level is increased by 4. While this card is equipped to a monster: You can send this Equip Card to the Graveyard; the monster it was equipped to can attack your opponent directly this turn. Other monsters cannot attack the turn you activate this effect.


This is pretty much just a small mini engine to get the cards you need.  One thing I've noticed is that the opening plays of an Inzektor deck are limited to Tour Guide into Sangan, Tour Guide into an Xyz, Card Trooper, Mystic Tomato, Sangan, and Armageddon Knight.  Solid opening plays but I feel like they are kind of lacking since you can't commit much deck space to these cards.  Inzektor Hopper in a way fixes that problem.  If you open Centipede plus Hopper, you can summon Centipede, equip Hopper, then send Hopper to the graveyard to get a Centipede search, pretty much turning Centipede into a Toolbox to get the cards you need.  Also gives you something to do if your opponent doesn't commit cards to the field.  It also doubles as a nice 1700 monster which is stronger than anything else Inzektors have outside of Giga-Manits. 


http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Inzektor_Sword_-_Zektkaliber
Inzektor Sword-Zektkaliber
Equip Spell
Equip only to an "Inzektor" monster. It gains 800 ATK and DEF. When this face-up card on the field is sent to the Graveyard: Target 1 "Inzektor" monster in your Graveyard; add that target to your hand.

Typically competitive decks have stayed away from Equip Spells and for good reason.  Outside of a select few (Premature Burial, Snatch Steal, Megamorph) most of them aren't that good.  The extra effect you gain (usually an attack boost) usually isn't worth it and none of them can generate any card advantage and they are dead draws if you don't have a monster out.  However one glance at Zektkaliber and you'll realize that it's much better than your typical Equip Spell.  First and foremost, that extra 800 attack allows Centipede and Hopper to attack over Dolkka and Laggia (the 2 biggest problems in an Inzektor Deck), and allows it to survive Jurrac Guaiba (which is why Dino Rabbit destroys the deck).  However that's not the only reason this card is good.  With the Centipede+Hopper opening, when Centipede activates, you can search for Inzektor Sword-Zektkaliber with Centipedes effect.  Yes Centipede searches for any Inzektor CARD.  Then when this card on the field is sent to the graveyard you can get an Inzektor back from your grave.  So if the equipped monster is removed from the field, you can get a key Dragonfly or Centipede back.  Also if your opponent uses Heavy Storm or Mystical Space Typhoon to get rid of it, the Inzektor it's equipped to triggers allowing you to gain even more advantage. 


 http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Jurrac_Guaiba
Jurrac Guaiba
Fire, Dinosaur, Level 4, 1700/400
If this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle, you can Special Summon 1 "Jurrac" monster with 1700 or less ATK from your Deck. It cannot declare an attack this turn.


You must be thinking I'm crazy.  Just hear me out.  Jurrac Guaiba is something a friend and I have been high on recently and even more so this format.  Take a look at the attack points of most monsters Inzektors run.  Then take a look at the attack points of most monsters Wind-Ups run.   They mostly run monsters with attack below 1700 so you don't even need a Forbidden Lance to be able to get this effect off a majority of the time.  If you do get it's effect off, then your opponent is typically staring down an Evolzar Dolkka or an Evolzar Laggia which as we all know, are two of the most powerful Xyz Monsters in today's metagame.  I've criticized Inzektors for their lack of versatility but adding this card into the main or side deck gives you something else you can do.  If anything it will draw out opposing Effect Veilers, Fiendish Chain's, Solemn Warnings, or Torrentials instead of the primary cards they have to worry about.  It's certainly interesting to think about.  If your local metagame is full of Inzektors and Wind-Ups, I recommend trying this card out in either your Main or Side deck.  You don't need to add multiple Dolkka's and Laggia's to your extra deck, just one of each.  In an extra deck with plenty of space, its something that you should accomplish easily. 

So we have a new ban that's finally official (go to the United Kingdom's Yu-Gi-Oh webpage if you want to see it, for some reason KDE-NA hasn't updated their page) and it is a great list, if this where 6 months ago.  The list tackles ZERO problems in the current TCG metagame.  Let's take a look at the list shall we?

Newly Banned

Glow-Up Bulb
Spore
These belong together since they where both used in the same deck and where that deck's primary tuners.  This essentially says good bye to Synchro based decks and hello to Xyz based decks.  Spore and Glow-Up Bulb where our best tuners since they had a FREE revival effect (sorry Plaguespreader) and allowed you to gain advantage by making Formula Synchron (sorry Debris Dragon, Junk Synchron, Karakuri Komachi, Krebons, Blackwing-Gale the Whirlwind, Genex Ally Birdman) who allowed you to Synchro Summon AGAIN since Formula Synchron itself was a Tuner and could be used for a Synchro Summon during your opponent's main phase.  Other cards made Glow-Up Bulb and Spore insanely powerful.  These cards being One for One and Dandylion which was the primary power play of our best Synchro based deck.  Now what are synchro players left with.  Karakuri?  Good but can't keep up with Wind-Ups, Rabbit, and is extremely vulnerable to Maxx "C" and Cyber Dragon and the power of Turn 1 Naturia Beast is negated by the power of Turn 1 Evolzar Dolkka, Evolzar Laggia and Wind-Up Loop.  Legendary Six Samurai?  If your a herp derper sure but many top players have expressed a huge hate for the deck and Rabbit does the same thing pretty much only better.  Pretty much these cards being banned means the end of Synchros being used for a while.  I believe that this is NOT a good thing.

Trap Dustshoot
I love the card but if I'm going to ban Royal Oppression under the pretense of "You draw it you win" then I have to ban Trap Dustshoot because if you do draw it, you win.  Perfectly fine with this card being banned.

Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier
The 3rd power powerful monster in Yu-Gi-Oh right behind Black Luster Soldier-Envoy of the Beginning and right ahead of Judgment Dragon.  Like Dustshoot, if you get a successful Trishula off, you won the game.  It was well worth the 3 card investment because it hit 2 cards of your opponents (one on field, one in hand), banished a card in grave as well, and didn't target.  That with a 2700 body?  (Only BLS, Scrap Dragon, Archlord Kristya, and Master Hyperion match or surpass it) and you've got the most powerful synchro not named Dark Strike Fighter (sorry Goyo Guardian).  Like Trap Dustshoot, perfectly fine with this card being banned.


Limited

The Agent of Mystery-Earth
Elemental Hero Stratos is at 1 per deck so in theory this should be the same as well.  If you're going to hit Agents than hitting Earth is perfectly fine.  Take away the consistency of them getting their Agent of Creation-Venus and Gachi Gachi Gantetsu out.  However I'm not sure Agents even posed a threat in the new meta.  A first turn Earth gets destroyed by Rabbit (they all main 3 Jurrac Guaiba now and still have 3 Rescue Rabbit) and the deck in general has 0 Mid game plays.  Its way to top heavy with boss monsters and bottom heavy with turn 1 plays.  If your Venus-Gachi is stopped then you have nothing until you draw a boss monster.  That lack of versatility kept it from winning a YCS (I predicted that it would last September though I'll admit, I underestimated Plants and I'm glad I did) and would probably keep it in a lower tier here in the TCG.  Fine on the OCG list.  TCG?  Not so much

T.G. Striker
Well the deck had it's last stand, winning YCS Atlanta despite all the Wind-Ups, Inzektors, and Rabbit decks around.  In the decks short existence it certainly did well despite never being considered universally the best deck (Plants where considered that once T.G. Hyper Librarian came out and then Rescue Rabbit once that came out) it won the N.A. WCQ, a YCS, and topped several other events (not to mention helping me get my 3rd straight invite so this one is bitter sweet for me).  Like Earth this is fine for the OCG since they had been splashing the T.G. engine (2-3x Striker, 3x War Wolf) in various decks to give them Dark Access, easy Synchro plays, floaters, and access to T.G. Wonder Magician (a highly underrated Synchro).  However because we have a different card pool, it didn't have the same impact over here in the TCG.  (In case you haven't figured out, I believe that the OCG and TCG should have different lists)


Semi-Limited 

Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner
If Judgment Dragon was at 1 than this would make perfect sense.  Give a deck that's not tier 1 a slight boost by adding some consistency to it.  Lightsworns main turn 1 play was to get Lumina-Garoth out and Mill 5 and hopefully draw some cards from the cards that Garoth milled.  This is perfectly fine if Judgment Dragon is at 1.  The problem is Judgment Dragon is at 3.  This MIGHT make Lightsworn relevant again (not a good thing).  They have an insanely powerful boss monster that you can drop 3 of IN ONE TURN and that DESTROYS EVERY OTHER CARD ON THE FIELD.  A deck with a win condition like that shouldn't be allowed to gain back consistency but I'm biased since I lost to the deck nearly every time I played it until Charge and Lumina went to 1.  Either way this decision makes me nervous.

Marshmallon
Not worried about this coming back.  Gives us another meat shield against Rabbit (as long as they don't have Dolkka out) and the burn effect, while ok, isn't something to write home about.  Spirit Reaper is a better card and it just went to 3 with no problems.  If Spirit Reaper is fine at 3, then so is Marshmallon.  I'd use 3 Reaper before using Marshmallon.

Reborn Tengu
Again another hit I'm perfectly fine with.  At 3 it just provided constant field presence and if you had one out when you did One for One+Dandylion then you should win as long as your opponent doesn't have Maxx "C".  Like Malicious before it, Reborn Tengu provided powerful non Tuner fodder only it was better since you didn't need to discard it and it was a 1700 level 4 so it could put some pressure on your opponent and drawing 2 wasn't the end of the world (unlike drawing 2 Malicious).  Card deserves to be a 2 and should stay at 2 for quite awhile.

Emergency Teleport
I've wanted this card to come back for awhile.  Now that Mind Master is banned, I can finally have my wish.  The days of TeleDAD dominating are over (D-Draw at 2, Malicous at 2, Allure at 1, DAD at 1) so that shouldn't even be a problem though I do expect to see some players trying it out casually (I know I will).  Heck it might be the best Synchro based strategy we have for all we know.  It certainly gives us something to think about though I wish we had a Level 1 Psychic Tuner that wasn't broken.  So many ideas with this that are killed because of that.  Either way this card should be fine at 2 and why not?  Maxx "C" kind of kills this card.

Level Limit-Area B
Like Gravity Bind, because of the Xyz mechanic and them having Rank's instead of Levels, this card playability, even in stall decks, has been hindered.  Now your opponent can just Xyz summon to Number 39. Utopia or Number 17. Leviathan Dragon and not have to worry about this.  I expect this card to go back up to 3 come September.

Shien's Smoke Signal
Like Lumina, I worry about this card going back up to 2 simply because it brings consistency to a deck that has a "sacky" win condition.  Legendary Six Samurai-Shi En is just as powerful as it ever was and maybe even more so now.  It's bigger than both Evolzar's (Though Laggia can negate it), it's bigger than anything Wind-Ups can bring out besides Rank 5's, and it still has an effect that forces your opponent to waist valuable resources to get rid of it.  Smoke Signal allows that deck to exist again and like I said, I'm extremely worried (note I have a huge bias against Legendary Six Samurai, hence the lack of informative post there)

Torrential Tribute
This is very interesting.  With 2 Torrential Tribute, players are going to have to be very careful about committing monsters to the field if their opponent has backrow (Dark Hole made them wary as is).  I like this move for that reason.  Hopefully this forces players to play more conservatively and makes games more of a grind and a fight for advantage.  Floaters like Sangan, Card Trooper, Gadgets, Elemental Hero-Stratos much more valuable.  Sadly because Wind-Ups can just loop you, and Rabbit has Laggia and mains Forbidden Lance, the true effect of this card going to 2 won't be felt until both decks are gone.  2 Torrential is going to be VERY nice to have.

Ultimate Offering
Offering Gadget does nothing in the TCG (though it is about to get Number 16: Shock Master) so I don't think this card should go to 2.  The deck just isn't good enough.  Again an OCG hit and not a TCG one.


Unlimited

Call of the Haunted
This card is just too slow now.  Rabbit brings out Laggia and Dolkka first turn (notice the recurring theme here) and Wind-Ups will just loop you first turn making it useless.  Useful in Inzektors using Card Trooper but not much else.

With Order of Chaos now legal we have 3 brand new tier 1/2 decks.  In this entry I'll be going over Inzektors and showing off my decklist.

First lets meet the Inzektor Monsters


Inzektor Centipede
Dark, Insect, Level 3, 1600/1200
Once per turn: You can equip 1 "Inzektor" monster from your hand or Graveyard to this card. If an Equip Card(s) is sent to the Graveyard while equipped to this card (except during the Damage Step): You can add 1 "Inzektor" card from your Deck to your hand. While this card is equipped to a monster, that monster's Level is increased by 3.

Inzektor Dragonfly
Dark, Insect, Level 3, 1000/1800
Once per turn: You can equip 1 "Inzektor" monster from your hand or Graveyard to this card. If an Equip Card(s) is sent to your Graveyard while equipped to this card (except during the Damage Step): You can Special Summon 1 "Inzektor" monster from your Deck, except "Inzektor Dragonfly". While this card is equipped to a monster, that monster's Level is increased by 3.

Inzektor Hornet
Dark, Insect, Level 3, 500/200
Once per turn: You can equip 1 "Inzektor" monster from your hand or Graveyard to this card. While this card is equipped to a monster, that monster's Level is increased by 3, also it gains ATK and DEF equal to this card's ATK and DEF. While this card is equipped to a monster: You can send this Equip Card to the Graveyard to target 1 card on the field; destroy that target.

Inzektor Giga-Mantis
Dark, Insect, Level 6, 2400/0
You can target 1 face-up "Inzektor" monster you control; equip this card from your hand to that target. While this card is equipped to a monster, that monster's original ATK becomes 2400. If this card is sent to the Graveyard while equipped to a monster: You can target 1 "Inzektor" monster in your Graveyard except "Inzektor Giga-Mantis"; Special Summon that target. This effect of "Inzektor Giga-Mantis" can only be used once per turn.

Now that we've met the Inzektor Monsters, let's go over the combo's that they can do

Combo 1:
Cards needed; Hand: Inzektor Dragonfly.  Hand or Graveyard: Inzektor Hornet
1.  Summon Inzektor Dragonfly.
2.  Activate Inzektor Dragonfly's effect equipping Inzektor Hornet from hand or grave.
3.  Activate Inzektor Hornet's effect sending it to grave to destroy 1 card on the field, usually your opponents.
4.  Inzektor Dragonfly's effect activates, use it to special summon Inzektor Centipede.
5.  Activate Inzektor Centipede's effect to equip Inzektor Hornet from your graveyard.
6.  Activate Inzektor Hornet's effect sending it to grave to destroy 1 card on the field, usually your opponents.
7.  Inzektor Centipede's effect activates, use it to add either Inzektor Dragonfly or Inzektor Giga-Mantis from your deck to your hand.
Result:  Your opponent loses 2 cards on their field while you have special summoned 1 monster from deck and added 1 monster from your deck to hand, resulting in either a +3 or a +4 depending on if your initial equip of Inzektor Hornet was from Hand or Grave.  After this you can overlay Inzektor Centipede and Inzektor Dragonfly into Number 20: Giga-Brilliant.  This will give you your light needed to summon Black Luster Soldier-Envoy of the Beginning.

Combo 2:
Cards needed; Hand: Inzektor Dragonfly, Inzektor Giga-Mantis.  Hand or Graveyard: Inzektor Hornet.  Graveyard: Inzektor Dragonfly
1.  Summon Inzektor Dragonfly
2.  Activate Inzektor Dragonfly's effect equipping Inzektor Hornet from hand or grave.
3.  Activate Inzektor Giga-Mantis' effect equipping it to Dragonfly from your hand.
4.  Activate Inzektor Hornet's effect targeting your Inzektor Giga-Mantis.
5.  Inzektor Dragonfly and Inzektor Giga-Mantis both activate.  Use Giga-Mantis to special summon your other Inzektor Dragonfly from your graveyard and use Dragonfly to special Inzektor Centipede from your deck.
6.  Activate Inzektor Dragonfly 2's effect equipping Inzektor Hornet
7.  Activate Inzektor Hornets effect, destroying 1 card your opponent controls.
8.  Inzektor Dragonfly's effect activates.  Special Summon Inzektor Centipede from your deck.
9.  Activate Inzektor Centipede's effect equipping Inzektor Hornet from your grave.
10.  Activate Inzektor Hornet's effect destroying 1 card your opponent controls.
11.  Inzektor Centipede's effect activates adding 1 Inzektor from your deck to your hand.
12.  Repeat steps 9-11.
Result:  You have 4 Inzektors on your field and you have destroyed 3 cards your opponent controls while adding 2 more inzektors from your deck to your hand resulting in a +6 or a +7.  Yes you read that right.  +6 or a +7.  You can then make 2 Rank 3 Xyz's (make sure again to make Number 20: Giga-Brilliant.)

As you can see they have 2 massive advantage combo's.  Now I'll share my decklist with you and explain some card choices.

Monsters: 21
3x Inzektor Centipede
3x Inzektor Dragonfly
3x Inzektor Hornet
1x Inzektor Giga-Mantis (by the way if you don't have this card, Inzektor Giga-Weevil has the same effect allowing you to do that massive combo)
1x Black Luster Soldier-Envoy of the Beginning
2x Armageddon Knight:  This is used to dump Inzektor Hornet
2x Card Trooper:  Again to dump Hornet, fuel Pot of Avarice and if I dump Dragonfly, make Reborn and Call of the Haunted live.
1x Sangan:  Only Centipede, Giga-Mantis, and BLS-EotB aren't searchable by this card.
1x Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter:  Mill's and gets around main decked Shadow Mirrors and Macro Cosmos.  Also helps with Dino-Rabbit
2x Maxx "C"
2x Effect Veiler


Spells:  11
2x Mystical Space Typhoon
2x Pot of Duality
1x Allure of Darkness
1x Book of Moon
1x Dark Hole
1x Foolish Burial
1x Heavy Storm
1x Monster Reborn
1x Pot of Avarice

Traps:  9
2x Call of the Haunted
2x Fiendish Chain
2x Solemn Warning
1x Solemn Judgment
1x Torrential Tribute
1x Trap Dustshoot

Side Deck: 15
2x Cyber Dragon (Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror)
1x Spirit Reaper (No clue really what else to side so I just added it, Dino-Rabbit)
1x Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter (Same as main decked Ryko)
2x D.D. Crow (Inzektor Mirror Match, Wind-Ups, Plants, Dark World)
2x Snowman Eater (Dino-Rabbit, Stun)
2x Dimensional Fissure (No Effect Veiler or D.D. Crow, Plants, Dark World, Zombies)
1x Mystical Space Typhoon (Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror)
2x Gozen Match (Most of my monsters are Dark)
2x Royal Decree (Warnings, Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror, Fiendish Chain, Ninja's)

In Part 2 I went over the effects the recent Card Limitations had on the meta.  In Part 3 I will go over the Cards that where Semi-Limited (2 per deck) and Unlimited

Necro Gardna:

This going to 2 along with Judgment Dragon going to 3 made people think either Lightsworn or Twilight Decks would be seen again.  This has not been the case.  The deck has plenty of boss monster's (JD, BLS-EotB, Gorz, Tragoedia, Chaos Sorcerer, Celestia) but lacks the consistency to be viable in a Regional or YCS setting.  As long as Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner and Charge of the Light Brigade remain at 1 per deck, Lightsworn will remain inconsistent.

Summoner Monk:

With Rescue Cat gone and Rescue Rabbit's effect preventing this card from being special summoned from deck, Summoner Monk is safe at 2 or even 3 in the TCG.  However over in the OCG, this card is abused.  Here is an example of your best turn 1 play in Inzektors.  All you need to do is open up a Summoner Monk, and a Spell Card.

1.  Summon Summoner Monk, it's effect activates switching it to defense mode.

2.  Activate Summoner Monk's effect, discarding a Spell Card to special summon Armageddon Knight from your deck.

3.  Armageddon Knight's effect activates, use it to send Inzektor Hornet from your deck to your graveyard.

4.  Overlay Armageddon Knight and Summoner Monk into Lavalval Chain.

5.  Activate Lavalval Chain's effect, detaching 1 Xyz Material to place Inzektor Dragonfly on top of your deck.

I'd say this card had plenty of impact in the OCG (Inzektors are currently the best deck over there)

Tragoedia:

No longer as powerful as it once was.  It has great utility for synchro and Xyz summons since you can change it's level.  It can also serve as a beat stick if you have a large enough hand.  However Gorz just outshines this card in every way.  Agents where using this card early in the format but it fell out of favor as they switched to more Trap heavier builds to help their Plant Matchup.  

Dewloren, Tiger King of the Ice Barrier

Enough with the Symbol of Heritage OTK's/FTK's.  FTK's in general shouldn't exist.  Keep Dewloren at 2 forever please.

Destiny Draw

As with Lightsworn, people thought we'd see more of the Destiny Hero engine popping up again, in Zombies, Synchro based decks, and Absolute Zero based decks.  However the Destiny Hero's just aren't good standalone cards.  You need a Destiny Draw/Allure of Darkness to make them good.  Add in drawing double Malicious and the deck just isn't as potent as it once was.

Swords of Revealing Light

I hate stall cards.  All I really have to say.  With Heavy at 1 and MST at 3, this card is fine at 3.  All it does it stall.

Call of the Haunted

The card is just too slow.  Plant's used one copy at the beginning of the format but soon cut it for better cards.  Again no real effect on the meta

Mind Crush

As with Call of the Haunted, saw play at the beginning of the format (as a side for Agents and other decks that did a lot of searching) but again fell out of favor for better cards.  

Judgment Dragon:

Covered this in the Necro Gardna portion.  

Spirit Reaper

This has honestly been one of my favorite card's this format.  Opponent has no monster?  Summon this and swing for a +1.  Opponent has a Kristya, Laggia, Dolkka, or another big monster bothering you?  Stall with this until you draw your outs.  Great card.  If your wondering why it was put to 3 it goes back to Konamis logic, if your not going to use 3 copies of card X then why should it be on the ban list (obviously this logic can't apply to all cards but cards such as this, Snipe Hunter, Cyber Dragon, Treeborn Frog, D.D. Warrior Lady, Breaker the Magical Warrior?  makes sense)

Megamorph

Overload Fusion

There are just too many ways to stop Chimeratech OTK now and you have to build your whole deck around it.  If you don't draw the Future Fusion early, your gonna have a hard time.  

Mystical Space Typhoon

So instead of having a massive Trap Format, we have the opposite.  Pretty much what this card did

 

Gravity Bind

Xyz Monsters get around this.  No reason for this to be at 1 or 2 anymore.  Decks can easily get around it.

Icarus Attack

When I saw this going to 3 I thought the list was fake.  A list where Blackwings get something back?  How often does that happen?  Well this was the first.  They still remain a solid deck but with Kalut and Black Whirlwind at 1, they lack ways to generate advantage.

In part 1, I went over the cards that where new to the ban list.  In part 2 I will go over the new limits from the September 2011 Ban List

Black Luster Soldier-Envoy of the Beginning:  

This ended up being exactly what we expected it to be.  Every deck got a generic Boss monster to help win them the game.  This also contributed to Thunder King Rai-Oh seeing a huge increase in play, being the best splashable Light Monster and being a card that could actually stop BLS-EotB.  Needless to say his impact has been felt.  

Debris Dragon

Lonefire Blossom:  

These two go together because they where pretty much hit because of the same deck.   Debris Dragon essentially gave Plant Synchro decks a one card Synchro Summon and combos extremely well with Dandylion and Lonefire Blossom.  Lonefire was hit because of the insane Monster Reborn combo's it had.  Guess what?  Neither of these limits really mattered.  All they did was make space for Plants to add in cards like Thunder King Rai-Oh.  Lonefire still gets the Tuners, Debris still allows you to make easy Black Rose/Trishula plays.  Was their power weakened?  Yes.  Did Plants gain a ton of power from Tour Guide and Xyz's?  Absolutely.  But you can't argue that these 2 cards are essential to any Plant Deck.

Formula Synchron: 

I thought about putting this with Debris Dragon and Lonefire Blossom but then decided against it.  All Formula Synchron to 1 really did was open up 1 extra deck slot in your typical Plant deck.  Yes Frog Monarchs used 3 Formula but guess what?  They lost Fishborg.  Did this weaken Plants?  Yes but overall they didn't need 2 Formula.

Legendary Six Samurai-Shi En:   

I cannot speak rationally about this card. I hate it more than any other card in Yu-Gi-Oh.  Negation plus protecting itself?  plus 2500 attack on a Level 5?  Sorry that's just way too overpowered.  Thank god they hit Samurai's consistency because this at 1 doesn't even really matter.  They can just back it up with Naturia Beast or Barkion in place of the 2nd Shi En.  Then again Black Luster Soldier-Envoy of the Beginning does eat it for breakfast but that's besides the point

T.G. Hyper Librarian:   

This plus the huge increase in play of Maxx "C" killed Junk Doppel/Quasar Decks.  Not that the TCG ever got to play with Quasar but that's probably for the better.  Overall though I don't think putting this to 1 really had an impact.  Plant Decks cut 1 as is and it's not like any other huge synchro spam deck exists (with exception to Karakuri who can can make this, but it's better for them to go Naturia Beast).  Quasar is the only deck that's really hurt by this.

Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier:

This was just done to match the OCG.  Not much else to say.  The infinite Trishula loops that do exist now only need the 1 and any that needed more where already gone from previous limit's/ban's.  Really does any deck need to bring out more than 1?
 

Heavy Storm:

Obviously the biggest difference from last format to this format.  This discussion goes hand in hand with Giant Trunade.  Would you rather decks Trunade and then go for the OTK format?  Or have fewer back row, people making plays sooner, and have the game go faster?  Thankfully because of Starlight Road and Huge Revolution is Over, decks that like to play huge trap lineups can still exist and do well (T.G. particularly), though Heavy Storm has cut into deck diversity.  Since decks can't set as much, (usually only 1 or 2 cards) now all Plants/Rabbit/Agents need to do is MST a single card they can go off.  Or so we thought.  Because of Heavy Storm, hand traps, mainly Maxx "C" have seen a huge increase in play and should only continue to see play.  People need something to stop opposing plays without committing cards to the field.  Maxx "C", Effect Veiler, and to a lesser extent D.D. Crow give us that.   The other effect Heavy Storm has had is the massive increase in play of Trap Dustshoot.  The past few formats, very few players committed deck space to this card simply because outside of first turn, it was useless as the opponent usually didn't have 4 cards in hand to meet the activation requirement.  With Heavy Storm back, people are now setting less and holding on to bigger hands.  This increases the odds of Dustshoot being live late game and reminded people just how good this card really is.

Pot of Avarice:

Fabled is the deck that misses this card more than any other.  Plants miss it as well but Fabled needed multiple copies of this card to really go.  Still with Xyz Summons now very common, and graveyards being filled extremely fast, this card needed to go to 1 just to prevent abuse.  And thank Tebow because imagine Wind-Ups with multiple copies of this card.

Primal Seed:

Do we really care that this card is at one?  Would anyone really run it?

Shien's Smoke Signal:

This is where Samurai really felt the pain.  The 2 previous formats they had 4 RotA's to search their Shi En pieces.  Now they only have 2.  Their consistency and speed just fell flat on it's face because of it and now Samurai decks are rarely seen outside of a few stubborn Herp Derper's.   My question?  What can we do to make sure this deck disappears for good.

Ok this is pretty much my first blog post.  My goal here is just to state my opinions on Yu-Gi-Oh and try to give in depth analysis on each deck in the metagame  (I'll probably fail as there are better writers and I'm not the best at making arguments).  Hopefully I get a following and will be able to write a post once a week.  This week I'm going to analyze the past ban-list and try to determine each change.

First lets look at what changed from March 2011 to September 2011

Ban

Fishborg  Blaster

Mind Master
Giant Trunade

Royal Oppression

Limited

Black Luster Soldier-Envoy of the Beginning

Debris Dragon

Lonefire Blossom

Formula Synchron

Legendary Six Samurai-Shi En

T.G. Hyper Librarian

Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier

Heavy Storm

Pot of Avarice

Primal Seed

Shien's Smoke Signal

Semi-Limited

Necro Gardna

Summoner Monk

Tragoedia

Dewloren, Tiger King of the Ice Barrier

Destiny Draw

Swords of Revealing Light

Call of the Haunted

Mind Crush

Unlimited

Judgment Dragon

Spirit Reaper

Megamorph

Mystical Space Typhoon

Overload Fusion

Gravity Bind

Icarus Attack

First Lets go over the Cards that where Banned

Fishborg Blaster: For those that don't know, there was a very easy way to get out Shooting Quasar Dragon using this card and Rescue Rabbit.  You needed this card and Treeborn Frog in grave.
1.  Revive Treeborn Frog
2.  Discard a card to special summon Fishborg Blaster from grave
3.  Summon Rescue Rabbit and use your turn player priority to special summon 2x Kabazauls
4.  Synchro Symmon T.G. Hyper Librarian using Fishborg Blaster and Kabazauls
5.  Discard a card to special summon Fishborg Blaster
6.  Synchro Summon a second T.G. Hyper Librarian using Fishborg Blaster and Kabazauls, Draw 1.
7.  Discard a card to special Summon Fishborg Blaster
8.  Synchro Summon Formula Synchron using Fishborg Blaster and Treeborn Frog, Draw 3.
9.  Synchro Summon Shooting Quasar Dragon and attempt to win.

Bit too easy to pull off so they banned Fishborg Blaster.  Smart move though I can definitely see Fishborg Blaster as a card that comes off the list as other, more powerful and consistent strategies, come out in the TCG.

Mind Master:  I don't know much about the Exodia OTK with Mind Master.  I just know Mind Master is extremely powerful in Psychics though I'm not quite sure how good they would have been with all the Maxx "C" running around.  So not sure what to say about this one.

Giant Trunade:  We lost Giant Trunade (which allowed many OTK's last format) and gained back Heavy Storm which controls the number of back row people set in the current format.  I'm not sure which I prefer but it honestly seems like Heavy has taken the diversity out of the format.  But in place of that we don't have decks setting 5, summoning a Thunder King Rai-Oh and passing. 


Royal Oppression:  THANK YOU KONAMI FOR FINALLY BANNING THIS CARD.  Honestly this was the best thing to come out of this ban list.  Now decks can't set up fields such as Shi En/Laggia/Heraklinos/White Dragon Ninja/random beater protected by a ton of back row and an Oppression.  This card single pretty much made the game who can get their boss monster out first and get an Oppression behind it.  Now if your opponent gets out a big monster, you can still make plays to try to get over it (which is how the game should be, the winner shouldn't be the first to gain control).  I pray to god that Konami keeps this card banned.

Part 2 I'll discuss the limitations and the affect on the Meta they had.